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London | Nastase gets suspension reduced

Ilie Nastase and an embarrassed Anne Keothavong during the draw ceremony

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An independent tribunal last Wednesday has reduced Ilie Nastase’s suspension for racist and aggressive behaviour before and during last year’s Fed Cup tie between Romania and Great Britain but has had his fine increased.

The 71-year old former world No. 1 appealed after the International Tennis Federation (ITF) suspended him from all official involvement in either the Fed Cup or Davis Cup until the end of 2020 and from attending any matches in either event until the end of this year.

He was banned from acting in an official capacity at ITF team competitions until Dec. 31, 2020, and from attending them until Dec. 31, 2018, – both dates have been reduced by eight months hile his fine was increased from $10,000 to $20,000.

On April 22 last year, Nastase, the captain of the Romanian team, insulted a journalist, the British No.1 Jo Konta and the umpire as well as the match referee. He also harassed British captain Anne Keothavong before the tie and insulted her during it.

In the press conference the day before the tie in Constanta, Romania, he also made racist remarks about Serena Williams’s unborn baby asking: “Let’s see what colour it has. Chocolate with milk?”

Nastase later apologised but said the media had “exaggerated.”

The organisers of Wimbledon, where Nastase appeared twice in the men’s singles final, and Roland Garros, where he is a former champion, have made it clear he would be unwelcome in the future.

About The Author

Henry Wancke is one of the most respected Tennis writers in the UK. Henry is the Editor of both Tennis Threads Magazine and tennisthreads.net. He previously worked as Editor of Tennis World, Serve & Volley as well as Tennis Today magazines and been stringer for The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and Press Association. He also co-authored the Ultimate Encyclopaedia of Tennis with John Parsons published by Carlton, and the Federation Cup – the first 32 years, published by the ITF. Currently he is the Secretary of the Lawn Tennis Writers’ Association and Hon Vice President of the Tennis Industry Association UK.

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